Pets

Natural and Safer Alternatives To Flea Control

It’s tough to watch your dog or cat do battle with fleas. The last thing you want to do is to put a toxic collar on them. They usually contain pesticides that can rub off on your pet and people. Instead, Do Your Part to find natural solutions that work just as well.

Washing your pet’s bedding in hot, soapy water regularly will help prevent fleas. You’ll also want to give your pets regular baths with a flea ridding shampoo that that contain all natural diatomaceous earth or essential oils like lemongrass, cedarwood, peppermint, rosemary, or thyme. all of these are non-toxic and effective.

You can also kill fleas in carpets and rugs with all natural Borax, found in the laundry aisle. Just sprinkle it on let it sit for an hour before vacuuming. Of course, keep your pets and children away from the area during treatment.

GreenPaws.org also provides an thorough guide where you to type in a flea or tick product to find out just how safe, or unsafe it really is.

And, if you find that you need a stronger solution, ask your vet about oral medications to treat fleas.

It’s just another way you can Do You Part for your pets and our planet.

By |Green Living, Pets|3 Comments
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Surprising Ways to Treat Pet Stains & Smells

If you have a cat or dog at home – you know pet smells and stains are just a fact of life. Before you reach for a product filled with unwanted chemicals, Do Your Part and consider safer options.

One of the most effective and economical options is to use baking soda. Sprinkle the powder in litter boxes to prevent smells. For stains, a paste made with baking soda and water can be used on carpets and some fabrics to remove the evidence and to deodorize.

Club soda is another carpet saver! It will help bring the stain up to the surface so just blot it away. Go further by sprinkling baking soda on the area after it dries.

Vinegar is another favorite of mine when cleaning up from pets. White vinegar will help you kill bacteria and will deodorize the area. Spray it on and then scrub the spot. Lemon juice can also be used to neutralize the smell.

Then there are some store bought options. Ones by Clean and Green work wonders on tough spots – including leather. They also have non-toxic fabric deodorizers that are good for places where you pets like to hang out.

Using unwanted chemicals in homes isn’t good for us or our pets. So the next time you have to clean up an accident…Do Your Part and make a healthier choice.

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Top 5 Ways Chemicals Sneak Into Your Home

Everyday we bring dangerous chemicals right into our homes. It could be from our shoes, a new piece of furniture we buy, or even the type of shower curtain we pick out. Here are ‘Terri’s Top 5 Ways Chemicals Sneak Into Your Home’ and the solutions you need to make a healthier home for you and your family.

1) Chemical Cleaners
One of the most common ways potentially toxic chemicals get into your home is when you use chemical-based cleaners. The scary thing is that their ingredients are not even required to be on the label. And, some of the chemicals they contain can pollute the air inside our homes and possibly cause all sorts of health problems – everything from asthma to allergies to reproductive issues.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
Opt for non-toxic cleaners which you can either make or buy. Baking soda is a powerful all purpose cleaner. White vinegar is an all natural disinfectant and works wonders on most surfaces. Borax is also an effective mold killer. If you’d rather purchase a safer cleaner, look for those that are plant-based and fragrance free.

2) Furniture & Flooring
When we pick out a new piece of furniture or new carpet and flooring, we usually aren’t thinking of the gasses they may emit after they’re in our home. Some of those popular and affordable pieces made from medium density fiberboard – or MDF – actually contain a formaldehyde-based resin. And many popular choices of flooring emit formaldehyde or are secured to the floor with adhesives that do. At elevated levels, formaldehyde can irritate eyes and cause breathing problems.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
When shopping, seek out furniture and flooring products labeled formaldehyde-free. Buying used, high quality wood furniture pieces are also a good bet because any dangerous chemicals have already been off-gassed.

3) Shoes & Paws
When you think about all the things you trek into your home with your shoes it can be downright disgusting! The same can be said for what’s on your pet’s paws. It’s not only dirt but also toxic debris such as lawn chemicals, automotive fluids, and pesticides. If you have young children in the home, they can easily be exposed to these toxins on the floor.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
The easiest solution is to simply leave your shoes at the door. Also, having a large mat to wipe your feet and your pet’s paws is a smart idea. Have slippers or socks handy for use only inside your home. Also, consider wiping your pet’s paws with a reusable cloth when they come inside, especially after lawn treatments.

4) Problematic Plastics
There’s one type of plastic that actually releases harmful chemicals that accumulate in our bodies. It’s polyvinyl chloride – or PVC – and is used to make vinyl shower curtains, children’s toys, and food containers. These plastics are made soft and flexible with the use of plasticizers. Phthalates are a common plasticizer. Phthalates are easily released from plastics especially when heated. Phthalates are suspected of contributing to reproductive defects, premature births and impaired neurological development.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
Start by avoiding plastics labeled with a #3 on the bottom. This identifies it as PVC. Also, seek out vinyl products that are labeled PVC-free. The U.S. now bans many dangerous phthalates in products for children under 12 but the ban took effect in 2009 and only for newly manufactured toys. This means there are still many children’s products that contain dangerous phthalates on store shelves. Look for newer items labeled PVC-free when shopping for younger children.

5) Dry Cleaning
If you bring home clothing from a traditional dry cleaner, you’re bringing in dangerous chemicals that can cause anything from headaches and breathing problems to more severe problems like liver and kidney damage. That’s because 80% of American dry cleaners use perchloroethylene (perc) as the cleaning agent. Perc is a manmade compound that pollutes our air, land and water.

What’s the Healthier Alternative?
If you visit the dry cleaner often, seek out ones which are perc-free. However, if there isn’t a green dry cleaner near you, make sure you unwrap you’re clothes once you’re home and let them air out before hanging them up in your closet.

By |Get Educated, Green Cleaning, Green Living, Head To Toe, In Your Home, Kids, Pets, Save Money & Resources, Terri's Top 5|0 Comments
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The Perfect Pet Toy Is Right Under Your Foot

The short lifespan of a dog toy can be a toll on your budget and the landfill but if you look no further than your sock drawer you can make your dog an inexpensive, washable toy.

Unmatched socks are a fact of life. I don’t know how one sock magically disappears but I have many socks that don’t have a match in all shapes and sizes. I’m going to give these misfits a second life by making a new toy for my dogs.

You can make a sock swing ball by taking 4 unmatched socks making sure one sock is longer than the others. With the long sock as your base sock, stuff the other 3 socks down into the toe of the base sock. Next, securely tie off the toe to make a tight ball at the end. Of course, you could also use a tennis ball in place of the sock stuffing.

You can make a more durable toy by braiding several socks into one larger rope.

Take three socks of equal length, cut them each into 4 long strips. Save one strip from each sock for later. Next take each sock and tie off the end. Braid the pieces together and tie off the other end. Do this with the other two socks then braid all three socks together. You can use the three remaining strips to secure all of the brads together.

You’ve now created two new dog toys from old unused mismatched socks. That’s doing your part to reuse materials that would have gone to the landfill.

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The Better Choice for Kitty Litter

There are millions of cat owners out there and many of them opt for kitty litter that’s clay-based and mixed with sodium betonite. This clumping type of kitty litter might be easier to work with but it’s dangerous for lots of reasons.

Dust from the litter is made up of tiny silicon particles which are toxic and known to cause cancer. Those particles can also cause respiratory and digestive problems for cats. As for our environment, the clay is actually strip mined in order to create the kitty litter. And that clay is non-renewable.

The good news is that there are better choices out there! Cat owners can choose from litters made from old newspapers, reclaimed wood chips or even whole kernel corn. To help battle odors, you can also add a layer of inexpensive and non-toxic baking soda to your litter box. All of these natural alternatives are better for your pet and the environment.

That’s not true for those clumping kitty litters. Toxins from the silicon particles can seep into the soil and our ground water supply. And here’s an eye-opener for you: about two million tons of used cat litter goes into our landfills each year!

Buying eco-friendly kitty litter is just one easy way to tread lightly on our planet, reduce our eco-footprint and keep our pets healthy!

To Learn More Visit:
Natural Home Magazine: The Scoop On Kitty Litter
Environmental Working Group: Pets in the Environment

By |Green Cleaning, Green Living, Pets|5 Comments
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It's In The Shampoo

Do Your Part to tread lightly when picking out your next pet shampoo! Terri is a big dog lover and nothing’s worse than a stinky dog—well, maybe two stinky dogs!

If you think all pet shampoos are the same, think again. Many of the ingredients found in popular ones are petroleum-based and are known to actually irritate skin, create rashes and cause cancer.

Over time, those toxins can be absorbed into your pet’s skin and into the skin of the person doing the dog washing! Not only that, those toxins go right down the drain during bath time.

If you want to go for an organic or natural shampoo for your pet, here’s what to look for: make sure your choice is free from coloring, preservatives or fragrances. Those ingredients all have names that sound like chemicals!

Instead, look for shampoos that are made with non-toxic and organic ingredients. Shop for shampoos infused with essential oils. They make a dog’s coat look and smell great.

If your dog has dry skin or allergies there are plenty of natural shampoos that can make your pet feel better. Try ones that are hypoallergenic for allergies and others that have oatmeal to deal with itchy, dry skin.

There are roughly 73 million pet dogs in this country alone. We can lower our eco-footprint when we wash them with natural and organic products. So Do Your Part when it comes to smelly dogs — they’ll feel better — and you’ll feel better when you tread lightly on our planet.

To Learn More Visit:
Animal Sense Pet Products, Inc.
Green Dog Shampoos
National Resources Defense Council: Harmful Pet Products

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The Best Foods For Man's Best Friend

If you’re like me, your pets are truly members of the family. And of course you want them to eat a healthy diet. So Do Your Part to know what’s really in your pet food.

It’s important to know that there are currently no laws governing the labeling of pet food. Some companies use private organic certifications but you’ll have to do a little leg work to find out exactly what that means.

Other pet food products are labeled with terms like “premium” or “gourmet” but not one of these terms is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The word “natural” on pet food bags that generally means that the food contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives but be sure to read the label.

So what’s best for your dog? Vets suggest looking for the phrase “complete and balanced.” This means the food is nutritionally complete and can be your pet’s main or only source of nutrition.

Also be sure to check the list of ingredients so you’ll always know what’s really in your dog’s food.

So Do Your Part to make sure your getting the best food for your pet.

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